METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DORMANT MODE SUPPORT WITH PAGING

• US 20080069022A1
• Filed: 09/25/2007
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daichi Funato, Fujio Watanabe, Toshio Miki
• Original Assignee: Daichi Funato, Fujio Watanabe, Toshio Miki
• Inventors: Watanabe, Fujio, Miki, Toshio, Funato, Daichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,920,879 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods are disclosed herein for implementing dormant mode with paging in a WLAN. Power savings in the computing device and reduction in traffic across the network are achieved by requiring a computing device to inform the WLAN of its location only when it crosses a paging area boundary or is to receive IP traffic. Dormant mode with paging is implemented in a protocol that supports dormant functionality and paging functionality but does not itself provide methods or standards for implementing such functionality, such as the IEEE 802.11. The methods and apparatuses disclosed herein provide the methods needed to implement dormant mode with paging in such a protocol. Generally, the methods and apparatuses for implementing dormant mode with paging basically include (1) establishing paging areas; (2) communicating access group information to a computing device; and (3) locating a computing device.

Claims

1. A method for associating a computing device with a new access point group in a WLAN whenever the computing device crosses an access point boundary, wherein the new access point group comprises a plurality of access points, comprising:

discovering when the computing device has crossed an access point boundary;

the computing device sending a request to the new access point group; and

assigning an association identification number to the computing device.

2. A method for associating a computing device with a new access point group in a WLAN whenever the computing device crosses an access point boundary as claimed in claim 16, wherein discovering when the computing device has crossed an access point boundary comprises, the computing device:

detecting a group identification in the beacon broadcast of one of the plurality of access points in the new access point group; and

determining that the beacon broadcast of one of the plurality of access points in the new access point group is stronger than a beacon broadcast of one of a plurality of access points in an old access point group.

3. A method for associating a computing device with a new access point group in a WLAN whenever the computing device crosses an access point boundary as claimed in claim 16, wherein the computing device sending a request to the new access point group, comprises:

the computing device sending the request to one of the plurality of access points in the access point group; and

if the one of the plurality of access points in the access point group is not a root access point, communicating the request to the root access point.

4. A method for associating a computing device with a new access point group in a WLAN whenever the computing device crosses an access point boundary as claimed in claim 16, wherein assigning an association identification number to the computing device is performed by a root access point.

5. A method for associating a computing device with a new access point group in a WLAN whenever the computing device crosses an access point boundary, wherein the new access point group comprises a plurality of access points, comprising:

discovering when the computing device has crossed an access point boundary, comprising the computing device detecting a group identification in the beacon broadcast of one of the plurality of access points in the new access point group and determining the beacon broadcasts of the one of the plurality of access points in the new access point group is stronger than a beacon broadcast of one of a plurality of access points in an old access point group;

the computing device sending a request to the new access point group, comprising;

the computing device sending the request to one of the plurality of access points in the access point group; and

if the one of the plurality of access points in the access point group is not a root access point, communicating the request to a root access point; and

assigning an association identification to the computing device, wherein assigning an association identification to the computing device is performed by the root access point.